The Darkest Timeline
by Midnight Stormcloud
Summary: At the moment of Starlight Glimmer's redemption, a freak accident tears the scroll and sends history spiraling down a dark path. Finding themselves stuck forever in the timeline at war with King Sombra and his Crystal Empire, Twilight and Starlight are left to pick up the pieces and come to terms with a world gone wrong. Will their arrival be enough to turn the tide of battle?
1. The Die is Cast

AN: I never thought that I would ever write anything in this universe, and yet here we are. After watching the Season 5 finale, I was intrigued by this particular alternate timeline and wanted more of it. I was both surprised and disappointed when I couldn't find any fan fics that ran with the idea, so I decided to write one myself. This is the prologue; it was important to me that there be a logical reason that Starlight and Twilight would end up back in the specific timeline at the war with the Crystal Empire. If you, like me, want to see more of that future, please let me know in your review.

* * *

"If something you can't control happens that changes things, work through it together. That's what friendship is!" Twilight pressed her front hooves together to illustrate the point. "And it's not just my friendships that are important to Equestria. Everyponies' are. When yours ended, it led us here, but just imagine all the others that are out there waiting for you if you just give them a chance!"

Looking like a lost lamb, Starlight Glimmer stood on the cloud before her, fighting back tears. The Princess of Friendship felt hope blossom in her heart. After all of the devastation she had seen in too many futures past, after all of the ways they had hurt one another, Twilight had finally managed to reach the wayward pony.

"How do I know they won't all end the same way?" Starlight asked.

With a gentle beat of her wings, Twilight alighted in front of the magician.

"I guess it's up to you to make sure they don't."

Twilight offered Starlight her hoof, her face a silent plea for the other pony to take it. Starlight struggled visibly with herself, glancing sideways as Rainbow Dash shot past them in pursuit of the bully Hoops. At last, slowly, tentatively, as though it might burn her, she took Twilight's hoof and released her magical grip on the scroll that had allowed them to tear apart time itself. The two ponies smiled at each other. It was over. Everything was going to be alright.

Like a feather in the air, the scroll began to fall as if in slow motion. Spike leaned down from Twilight's back and reached out to grab it. In that moment a strong gust of wind swept over them; it was a common enough phenomenon at this altitude, one that happened thousands of times a day in Cloudsdale without great consequence. It was so mild that even the young airborne fillies and colts barely took note of it.

But today, the universe itself would take note, and shudder.

"No!" Spike yelped.

The scroll had been practically held together by a thread as it was, and the gust was enough to tear it completely in two. Twilight's head whipped around. Her eyes went wide as she saw what had happened. With no time to think, she fired a stasis spell at the already disintegrating parchment, desperate to preserve the priceless artifact. In her panic her aim was off; the magic shot past the sundered scroll and towards two tiny ponies racing through the air.

Rainbow Dash was barely a second away from breaking the sound barrier and achieving the Sonic Rainboom when Twilight's spell struck her, immobilizing her in place.

"Hey?! What gives!"

Twilight looked on in horror and disbelief and a horrible sense of deja vu. This was exactly like the first time they'd traveled back, except this time it was her own magic that had interfered. The scroll made a sizzling noise as green energy ate away at its edges until it rapidly crumbled to dust. Numb, unable to process fully what had just happened, Twilight turned back to Starlight. Twilight saw her own shock mirrored in those violet eyes. Shock quickly turned to fear.

"Twilight—I didn't—It was an accident!" Starlight pleaded. "You have to believe me!"

Strange. There was a buzzing in Twilight's head now, growing louder by the moment, like a swarm of angry bees. Every sound and sensation felt like it was coming from somewhere far away, like she was watching a play from the back row, straining to spot the details and to understand the dialogue. A voice inside her wanted to be fair and tell Starlight that she understood and didn't blame her at all. Another voice wanted to wring the miserable mare's neck and scream at her, to demand if she had any idea what her petty revenge had wrought.

A third, increasingly louder voice cut through the buzzing, and it was furious with Twilight herself. After all, it wasn't Starlight Glimmer's magic that had just sabotaged Rainbow Dash. This time it had been by Twilight's own horn that destiny was altered, and for what? An antique piece of paper? Nothing could match the value of her friendships, Twilight knew that, she had learned that lesson in countless painstaking ways. She should have been content when Starlight had accepted her hoof.

She had been greedy, Twilight realized, and now it was all gone. The scroll. Her friendships. The very world and timeline she had known. It was all memories and scattered dust in the Cloudsdale atmosphere. There would be no more chances, no more changes. The die had been cast.

Starlight still had Twilight's hoof in her own, and she was holding on tighter than ever now. It looked like the mare was saying something, and crying all over again, her body actually trembling. It looked like she was desperate for a reaction from Twilight, any reaction, but the Princess was wholly numb and none of the words reached her. Agitated movements on her back told her that Spike was having a small meltdown of his own. Twilight didn't know what to do. She didn't know what she could do.

Sparing her the dilemma, an invisible force yanked them all back into the air at once. Twilight belatedly realized that the portal had opened again. Time was up. Starlight lunged forward to envelop her in a hug, and Twilight clung to the sobbing pony by reflex, if nothing else. She wondered what awaited them on the other side. Would it be endless desolation like the last time? Another world ruled by some other villain of past or future? Would her friends be there, transformed again into total strangers?

The tears finally began to trickle down Twilight's face as the familiar stretching sensation of time travel took them. The dragon Spike and the ponies Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer were together swallowed whole by the jaws of fate, the only three who would ever remember history as it should have been.


	2. Reality Check

AN: In case anyone is curious about what tone I'm going for with this story, I have no interest in being gratuitous, edgy, or shocking. I am, however, giving it a serious treatment. I'm basically trying to be faithful to the portrayal of this timeline in the source material; that is, after all, what got me interested in the first place. I've put a lot of attention to detail into stuff like the geography.

On the other hand, one of the biggest problems I had with the original episode was that there was no reaction to Twilight's appearance as an unknown Alicorn. I felt like that was something that should have been a big deal, especially in a desperate war where a second Princess could make a huge difference. That's something I aim to address with this story.

I may unconsciously take something from the comics that I read on a wiki, but I do not generally treat the comic material as canon.

* * *

Twilight hit the ground hard enough to make her see stars. There was grass beneath her hooves and it had protected her from any serious harm, but her head wouldn't stop spinning; whether that was from the impact or from simple shock she had no clue. There was another pair of voices somewhere nearby, groaning. A familiar set of claws helped her stand.

"Twilight! Twilight, are you alright?"

Gradually things began to swim into focus. "I'm fine, Spike. I just don't know if I can say the same for the rest of Equestria."

A muted sniffle drew their attention. Starlight Glimmer sat limply on the ground next to the map, looking miserable as she stared down at the grass.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Twilight opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find anything to say to the Unicorn. Words seemed so empty right now. The Princess closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself back into old, familiar, analytical routines. This was no time for emotion. She had to be practical, goal oriented. Find out what had changed. Assess the damage. Proceed once they had all the facts.

"Well at least there's water and grass and houses still standing," Spike observed. "The sky is a little gray, but we've seen worse, right Twilight?"

"The skies?" Twilight looked upwards.

Indeed the sky was unusually overcast, definitely not how Twilight remembered it, and it didn't look like any weather pattern the Pegasi would schedule. It was like fog, but harsher somehow, more oppressive. There was something familiar about it too, but Twilight couldn't put her hoof on it. She searched her memories of the other timelines for one that had looked like this.

Then it hit her, and her heart sank with dread.

"Oh no." Twilight ran to the Cutie Map. "Oh, _no_. Not this one. Please not this one!"

The map confirmed her worst fears. It was just as it had been before in the timeline where King Sombra had conquered half of Equestria. Like a cancerous growth the dark crystals ate away at the margins of kingdom on all sides, even encroaching upon the shores of the Griffon Homeland. A particularly aggressive outcropping had consumed Neighagara Falls and Hollow Shades, bumping up against Foal Mountain and threatening to cut off Manehattan itself from Canterlot. The first time Twilight saw this map she hadn't understood what she was looking at; she knew enough now to realize that the strategic situation was dire.

Spike clambered up onto the seat beside her. He yelped as he recognized the map like she had, and promptly fell off the chair in dismay.

"It's the timeline where you and the others weren't around to stop King Sombra!" Spike moaned. "This is bad! This is very bad! The Crystal Empire is gonna enslave us all!"

Twilight felt panic welling up in her, threatening to drive reason from her mind once again. This world had been so bleak, so hopeless, and now they were stuck with it forever. Out of habit she tried to call upon her lessons in friendship to guide her, but that exercise only brought her fresh pain. How could friendship help her in a world where she had no friends?

Twilight shook her head violently. Think positive, think positive. She wasn't alone. She still had Spike, didn't she? Her number one assistant, who had been with her from the very beginning. Twilight reached over and swept the little dragon up into a hug. Spike seemed to understand, and quietly returned the embrace. That's right. Spike was still with her, along with…

The Princess of Friendship turned back to Starlight Glimmer, who was now looking up at her from her place in the dirt. The Unicorn was no longer crying, but she had a defeated, boneless look about her. Twilight took a deep breath and approached. Starlight flinched as if expecting violence, but made no motion to defend herself. Instead Twilight took her by the hoof, pulled her upright, and dusted her off.

"Are you alright?" Twilight asked. "Time travel can be a bit of a tumble, apparently."

Starlight was stunned. "Aren't you mad at me?"

"I'm furious at you." Twilight narrowed her eyes. "You may have had cause to be upset with me, but that was no reason to mess with forces that could hurt everypony in Equestria."

Starlight nodded sadly. "I know. But then why—"

"Because I'm just as mad at myself as I am at you. It was my spell that stopped the Sonic Rainboom. We both did this, we both have to try to fix it. Because," Twilight swallowed the lump in her throat, "because if something you can't control happens that changes things, work through it together. That—that's what friendship is."

Starlight's eyes widened. Without warning she bursts into tears again, bawling like a baby now, apologizing over and over again between her sobs. Twilight patted her on the back and helped her wash her face in the nearby stream. After Starlight had calmed down they all sat around the Cutie Map as Twilight explained the situation. The Unicorn's face grew more haggard with each grim detail.

"I didn't know." Starlight looked forlornly at the map. "I couldn't have known. I never meant for any of this to happen, Twilight. I just wanted somepony else to know how I felt."

"Whatever happened before is done, and it can't ever be undone again," Twilight said. "For better or worse, this is the only world we get, and we have a responsibility to make the best of it. Equestria still has a fighting chance. I'm going to try to turn the tide of the war, but I can't do it alone. Will you help me, Starlight?"

"Do you really still consider me a friend after all of _this_?" Starlight gestured at the map.

Twilight nodded firmly.

"Then I'm all yours," the Unicorn swore. "Point me where you want me, Princess. I don't know if there's any way to make this right, but I'll try my hardest."

* * *

Sweet Apple Acres was the source of much of the smog over Ponyville. With most of the residents of the town called to aid the cause either on the battlefield or in more industrialized parts of Equestria, the farm and canning factory was the busiest operation in the area. Starlight Glimmer looked nervous as she followed Twilight up the path, but she said nothing.

Applejack was loading a crate of cans onto a cart when she saw them approach. The farm pony squinted at Twilight.

"You again? I thought you said you were going to try to set things right."

"I tried. I failed." Twilight drooped. "It looks like we're all stuck with this reality."

"And who are you?" Applejack turned to Starlight.

"Um—"

"She's a friend from my original timeline," Twilight said quickly. "Listen, Applejack. Now that we have no choice, we want to help Equestria but we need information. We came to you because you're the only one I know here. Is there someplace we can talk in private?"

Applejack put down her crate and eyed them skeptically.

"Y'know, this all sounds mighty strange if you ask me," she said. "How do I know you're not enemy spies or somethin'?"

Twilight sighed. She hated showing off, but right now she needed Applejack to trust her. Twilight spread her wings in a dramatic flourish; she normally kept them so flush against her flanks that most ponies missed them and took her for a tall Unicorn at first glance. Applejack fell backwards in shock.

"What in tarnation?" Applejack gawked. "You're an Alicorn?"

"In our time I was Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship." Twilight looked down at her hooves. "I don't think I deserve that title anymore, but I hope this proves that we're not spies."

Applejack looked around surreptitiously as if to make sure they weren't being watched.

"Well alright," she said. "You'd better follow me to the barn, Your Highness."

* * *

Princess Celestia kept her head high as she returned from the battlefield, mindful of the many eyes that followed her through the Equestrian camp. Through all the dreariest days of the war, through all of the tragedy and loss, the lone Princess was still a stoic symbol for her subjects to rally behind. She had to be. Even the slightest display of weakness or exhaustion on her part could prove devastating for morale, and morale was in short enough supply already.

As she drew near her personal tent Celestia spotted a blue mare with a multicolored mane standing at attention. It was General Rainbow Dash of the Wonderbolts, waiting with her daily report. The Royal Guard had been decimated in the early days of the war, leaving the Wonderbolts to fill in for many of their duties where Celestia was concerned. Rainbow Dash had been rapidly promoted over older veterans with more flight hours due to her aptitude for combat, her nerves of steel, and her fierce loyalty. Her scars and prosthetic wing were a testament to her bravery in the field. Rainbow Dash had never given Celestia cause to regret her promotion, though it deeply pained the Princess to lay so many burdens upon a pony so young.

Celestia accepted the report and flipped through the pages, letting out a pained sigh as she read through the names of the killed and the wounded.

"How many did we lose in total?"

"We're still trying to get a firm casualty count from the sinkholes on the western flank, but early estimates put it at over a hundred dead and at least two dozen wounded. We expect those numbers to rise, obviously," Rainbow Dash said grimly. "The Survey Corps are spread too thin. Two of the Pie sisters saved me from a boulder trap today, but if they had been out west they might've caught those damn tunnels coming in under our positions."

"King Sombra has always had a particular talent for earth magic," Celestia noted. "Now that he's taken the field here, we can't afford to spare any Surveyors."

Nopony in the Equestrian army would argue with that. King Sombra was ever creative in transforming the terrain to his advantage; mountains would form out of nowhere to trap their forces, canyons would open up beneath their hooves, spikes of earth would erupt from the ground with deadly results. Equestria had the advantage in the air thanks to their Pegasi, but the only defense they had against Sombra and his tunneling slaves were the specialists in the Survey Corps. There were never enough to prevent every underground ambush.

Celestia had even been desperate enough to approve a top secret program to persuade captured Diamond Dogs to serve in the Equestrian army. That experiment had been a waste of resources so far.

"I get it, Your Highness. It's just…" Rainbow Dash trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind. The good news is that while they were busy trying to capitalize on our western flank, the assault you led pushed their main host back another two miles closer to Hollow Shades. Old Sombra must be furious. He's still no match for you."

"He is no match for _us_ , General Dash, every one of us together. It is only by the combined efforts of all of Equestria that we continue to hold back the Crystal Empire. _I_ certainly could not do it without help. From the bottom of my heart, I am grateful to you and all the other soldiers in this army."

Celestia pointedly raised her voice for that last bit. Everypony nearby seemed to stand up a little straighter. Celestia really was proud of her subjects; at the beginning Equestria had no concept of how to fight a war, and half the country had quickly been overrun by Sombra's forces. However, her little ponies had adapted quickly and proved ready and willing to sacrifice for their Princess and country. They sacrificed so much that Celestia worried about them constantly. The Crystal Ponies, rendered mindless by Sombra's dark magic, could never feel the crushing weight of war on their souls as the Equestrians did.

"We're honored to do our part for Equestria, ma'am."

"Thank you, General Dash." Celestia forced a smile. "Please inform the troops that they performed splendidly today, and that I'm proud of them. Authorize double rations for everypony who participated in the battle."

Double rations. An extra can of applesauce and some hard crackers. It was a pittance, and yet it was all that Celestia had to offer her subjects, they who had risked life and limb in her name.

Rainbow Dash saluted. "Yes ma'am. I'm sure they'll appreciate it."

Celestia nodded and dismissed the General before entering the royal tent. It was larger than the others, to accommodate her size, but nothing too fancy, just a bed and some drawers. She had insisted on that, hating the idea that she would live in any greater luxury than the subjects she asked so much from. As it was the tent provided the one thing that she truly needed right now: privacy. The only time in a day that Celestia was truly alone was when she raised the moon and retired for the night.

The Princess practically flung herself onto the bed and curled into a ball beneath the covers. At every other moment she was burdened with the responsibilities of leadership, required to resemble divinity, to inspire her subjects to keep the struggle going. She hated it. She hated having to pretend. She hated the fact that her little ponies still admired her, because in her heart she knew she had failed them. Their Princess hadn't been able to protect them from this fate. Celestia had led them into a war they could not win. A war that might never end. There was nothing for them to look forward to anymore.

Unseen by anypony, Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria, silently began to weep into her pillow.

* * *

The barn was even mustier than usual from disuse. The dust tickled Twilight's nose and forced her to repress more than a few sneezes. All of the farm animals seemed to have been relocated elsewhere; Twilight guessed they'd be housed at facilities better capable of applying them to the war effort. Applejack lit a lantern and seated them at an old wooden table by the window. Spike plopped himself onto a bale of hay and quickly fell asleep. The night sky twinkled outside as the farm pony disappeared before returning with some apples and water.

"Y'all are lucky," Applejack said. "Everypony that comes back from the front raves about how the crazy things they'd do for a fresh apple. Our canned applesauce is as good and nutritious as they come, but it just ain't the same when you've been eatin' it for months."

Twilight bit into an apple and sighed with pleasure. "Apple Family apples are the best in every timeline it seems. Even if the farm looks awfully different."

"You mean the production line? Yeah, well, I spent a good couple years as a filly learning how to work a Manehattan factory," Applejack explained. "Thought it was all a waste of time when I finally came back to Ponyville and got my Cutie Mark. Then the war broke out and it turned out the army needed a way to keep the apples from spoiling during rough transit and long marches. I wrote to some old connections and remembered enough to get this operation up and running, and we've been out producing every other farm in Equestria ever since."

"That's wonderful, Applejack. You must be proud."

"I'm just happy we can do our part. Now listen, before I help y'all I'd like to know the whole story. All you mentioned before you left was that somepony called Starlight Glimmer changed something in the past which caused all of this."

Twilight winced and looked over at Starlight, who hadn't touched her apple and seemed to be doing her best to vanish into her chair.

"I'd better start from the beginning," Twilight said.

And so she told Applejack everything she could remember about their time together, from when they originally found the Elements of Harmony all the way up until history took a wild turn for the worst. Twilight even told her about Starlight Glimmer; it didn't feel right to hold anything back from Applejack, and she knew that the farm pony had a kind and forgiving heart. Starlight herself said nothing except to occasionally sniffle or vouch for something Twilight had said.

By the time Twilight was done Applejack looked cold and clearly upset, and the Princess began to worry that she had made a mistake by telling the whole truth. Then Applejack closed her eyes for a long moment. When the farm pony opened her eyes again, she fixed Starlight with a stare that was stern but not malicious.

"If you're wondering whether I blame you, the answer is I want to but I can't," she said. "This whole time travel business is way above my head, so I reckon that you didn't have a clue what you were doing either. Heck, the time you come from sounds great, but this is the only life I've ever known, so it's not like I even know what I'm missing. All I care about right now is whether you're willing to do what you can to help the cause."

Starlight nodded. "Anything. I'll do anything."

"Then that's good enough for me." Applejack smiled, spat on her hoof, and offered it to Starlight.

Starlight stared at it for a moment before accepting it gingerly. A single tear ran down her face.

"I wish I'd known what good ponies you were," she whispered. "I wish I'd just given you a chance. I was so stupid and selfish. I wish—"

"There are a lot of things I wish I'd done differently too, Starlight," Twilight interrupted gently. "It's better to look forward than back. I might not deserve to call myself a Princess anymore, but I am an Alicorn and I'm not half bad with magic."

"Starlight Glimmer here must be pretty good with magic too," Applejack noted. "I'm no expert, but it sounds like not just anypony could've altered a Swirly Beard time spell or whatever you called it."

"She has more talent for magic than almost anypony I've ever seen." Twilight smiled at Starlight, who faintly returned the gesture. "My magic couldn't stop her. It took the magic of friendship to convince her to help me try to put things right."

"If you two are as powerful as all that, then you could make a real difference in the war," Applejack said. "Just having another Princess out there in the field would do wonders for morale. King Sombra is powerful but not even he can be in two places at once."

"But I'm not a Princess in this—"

"Forget all that. You've got the wings and you've got the magic. Show up with some flashy spells and call yourself a Princess and I promise you nopony is gonna argue with you. They all want to believe that the war is about to turn a corner, and you can be a symbol of that. Celestia has been all alone ever since Princess Mi Amore Cadenza died trying to keep King Sombra out of the Crystal Empire."

Twilight looked stricken. "Cadence is dead?"

"If you mean Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, rest her soul, then yes. They say she was the first to die when King Sombra returned. She and her husband kept him at bay for as long as they could, buying Equestria precious time to prepare, but her magic couldn't last forever. When King Sombra finally broke through, they say his anger was truly terrible. We remember the Princess as a hero."

Twilight slumped in her seat and stared off into space.

"I failed her," she said. "I failed _them_. I'm pathetic. Nopony is going to look at me and see a Princess."

Starlight didn't ask who she was talking about. "None of this is your fault, Twilight."

"Listen, you mentioned fighting a Tirek character or something?" Applejack interjected. "He's probably still in Tartarus right now, but when Twilight fought him with all that combined power it sounds like she was a one pony army. Maybe if Starlight gave her magic to Twilight—"

"It wouldn't work." Starlight shook her head. "It might make her more powerful, but she won't look the part any more than she already does. Alicorn magic is different. My magic wouldn't produce the billowing mane or the aura that Celestia has."

"My Alicorn magic only recently emerged," Twilight mumbled. "I honestly don't know how much good I'd actually be in battle."

The barn fell silent save for Spike's snoring and the distant hum of machinery. Starlight Glimmer gazed out the window and then stood up in excitement.

"Wait, I've got it! What if Twilight borrowed the magic of another Alicorn?"

"Haven't you been listenin'?" Applejack raised an eyebrow. "There are no other Alicorns left. It's just Celestia, and the kingdom needs her."

"Then what's that up there?"

Starlight Glimmer pointed a hoof up at the moon. A moon that clearly had the face of a mare in its shadow. Twilight let out a small gasp as she realized what Starlight was getting at.

"You mean Nightmare Moon?" Applejack blinked. "Well, I reckon she _is_ still up there. Everypony thought it was just a legend, but then Celestia foiled her escape during the Summer Sun Celebration a few years back, before the war. It caused a bit of a commotion at the time."

"Whether I borrow her power or not, bringing Princess Luna back could be a great help." Twilight perked up. "I miss her. But then even if we could free her, I don't know if we'd be able to get Nightmare Moon under control without the Elements of Harmony."

"We can do it, Twilight. You and I, together." Starlight gestured slyly at her own Cutie Mark. "Remember my special talent?"

The Princess of Friendship blinked, and then her eyes widened in understanding. She nodded her agreement. Applejack looked from one pony to the other and chuckled.

"Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer, eh?" she said. "Well, the timing's all wrong, but the prophecy did say that the stars would aid in her escape."


	3. Waking Nightmares

AN: I'm going to keep writing for as long as I have the urge, but I won't lie; the interest of readers (or lack thereof) has a huge impact on my motivation. My projects often fizzle out from lack of interest. I'd like to thank **bluecatcinema** , my only reviewer so far, and the handful of you special folks who have followed or favorited the story. Please keep doing that, and tell your friends, post on forums; anything that gets more eyes on this is appreciated.

The shape of the plot continues to form as I go along. I've got some exciting ideas that I'd love to get to. The next chapter, when and if I finish it, should include the first scene of the actual war itself.

Again, if you like the story, please do let me know in a review!

* * *

Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer pored over a scroll in a small clearing in the Everfree Forest. It was midnight now, the moon shining brightly upon them. They were surrounded by bags of magical reagents, bubbling beakers, and elaborate diagrams. The green eyes of timberwolves watched them warily from the shadows. The forest was as wild as ever, but the two talented magicians had enough power between them to ward off any threat. The need for a secluded space with no innocent bystanders or witnesses had brought them here.

"Well, the calculations check out," Starlight announced. "With a precise surge of power, and your Alicorn magic as an anchor, we'll be able to initiate an unscheduled lunar eclipse lasting at least thirty seconds. That should be enough time for Nightmare Moon to make her escape, and the third law of magical channeling dictates that she will have to appear—"

"Right here, at the source of the original chain reaction," Twilight finished. "You know, we make a pretty good team. I would never have been able to get through all of this work myself in one night."

Starlight looked bashful for once. "Thanks."

"We can get started as soon as Spike gets back with the last of the gems we need. I just hope it all goes as planned. You had no problem taking _my_ Cutie Mark when we first met, but I'm not sure it'll be so easy with Nightmare Moon."

Starlight Glimmer grimaced. "I… I think I can make it work."

Catching on to the Unicorn's discomfort, Twilight looked at Starlight and placed a hoof on her shoulder.

"Sorry," the Princess said. "I probably could have phrased that better. Do you want to talk about it?"

Starlight looked at Twilight nervously. Seeing nothing but an encouraging smile, she took a deep breath and began to spill what was on her mind.

"Back at the barn when Applejack was talking about Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, you had, well, a look on your face." Starlight chewed her lip. "And I got the impression that, um, she might have been somepony special to you."

Twilight froze, and for a moment Starlight feared she had pushed her luck too far. Then the Alicorn Princess slouched, her eyes looking lost as they met Starlight's.

"Her name was Cadence," Twilight said softly. "She—she always liked that name better. I knew her since I was a filly, she was my favorite babysitter. Then she married my brother, Shining Armor, and became the best sister I could've ever asked for. Th-the last time I saw her, she was going to have a baby…"

The Princess trailed off. Starlight was speechless with guilt at what she was hearing. Then Twilight let out a sob, her shoulders heaving. Just like that the floodgates were open, and all of the repressed grief the Alicorn had been holding back came pouring forth as Twilight bawled her eyes out. Starlight began to panic; it had been so long since she'd had a healthy friendship that she didn't know what she was supposed to do. Instinct took over, and Starlight pulled Twilight into an embrace that might've been a little too tight. They held each other until finally the tears subsided.

"I'm so sorry, Twilight," Starlight murmured. "I don't know what to say."

"None of it matters now." Twilight wiped her eyes. "This is the only world we have. If it even really belongs to us. For all we know there might be another Twilight Sparkle out there, who never passed her entrance exam, who lost her brother, who's now all alone on a battlefield somewhere. I don't know how I'd have survived. Maybe I didn't."

"Don't think about things like that Twilight," Starlight pleaded. "The Great Mage Meadowbrook claimed that there are an infinite number of parallel universes. There must be other timelines, other worlds where that stupid scroll never tore. Worlds where Cadence is alive, and you got to bring me to justice, and I got the punishment I deserve."

Twilight smiled feebly at her fellow magician. "I wouldn't have wanted to punish you, Starlight. You've already learned your lesson."

"But—"

"Truth be told, before the scroll got ripped I was thinking about asking you to be my apprentice. You're more talented than I am, Starlight, but I would've been happy to teach you what I know about the magic of friendship. I still am."

Starlight stared in wonder. "Your apprentice? Me?"

Twilight nodded and offered her hoof. This time Starlight didn't hesitate before taking it.

"Thank you, Twilight," Starlight said softly. "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't saved me from myself, but I'll always be grateful that you did."

* * *

The black crystalline floor of the Hollow Shades Fortress was polished to a mirror sheen, allowing King Sombra to gaze at his own reflection as he paced in circles. This was not his ancient castle back in the heart of the Crystal Empire, but as the campaign had bogged down he'd seen fit to have proper lodgings constructed. The sleepy little hamlet of Hollow Shades had been converted into a nightmarish military staging area; much of the surrounding forest had been cut down to feed the furnaces.

The King ignored the cries of the prisoner strapped to a rack as three of his interrogators tried to force dark magic into her mind. He was not a happy pony, these days. His armies had been trying to take Foal Mountain for over a month now with little to show for it but a growing casualty count on both sides. The thrill of combat would quickly fade after each battle, giving way to frustration.

A flash of light. The crackle of magic. More screams. The interrogators worked in rotations, trying different combinations of spells to break down the subject's mental barriers. A hooded mare watched the proceedings impassively from the corner. She was a rare guest in this place; not one of Sombra's slaves nor a typical Equestrian collaborator. Her presence here was a sign of how impatient the King of the Crystal Empire had become.

Foal Mountain represented the last strategic position from which the Equestrians could guarantee safe passage from Canterlot to the east coast of Equestria. If it fell, the Crystal Empire could lay siege to Manehattan, and then Fillydelphia and Baltimare in short order. With Las Pegasus having already surrendered in in the southwest, all the major population centers of Equestria except Canterlot itself would then be under his control. It should have been easy. However, the Equestrians had rallied in a way that surprised King Sombra, deadlocking the conflict within the confines of a few miles.

The King snarled at his reflection. It was all because of that accursed Alicorn, Princess Celestia. Upon his return Sombra had been delighted to learn that the royal sisters of Equestria had turned on each other and that Princess Luna had been imprisoned in the moon. Good riddance to her. Celestia alone did not have the power to banish him again, indeed they were evenly matched on the field, but the Equestrians adored her and would fight to the last pony to defend their Princess and homeland.

It was that prolonged stalemate which had forced King Sombra to turn to the hooded mare for assistance. He had heard of her in whispers, as the leader of some strange cult. He cared not for any dogma or ideology beyond conquest, but when he summoned her she had come, and she claimed to possess curious talents that he did not. Talents that could bring even a Princess to her knees.

Time for her to prove it.

"Enough!" Sombra told the interrogators. "I think we've demonstrated that she remains immune to my magic. No other pony has ever resisted me so stubbornly, Princess Cadenza. I suppose congratulations are in order."

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza slowly looked up at her captor with tired but defiant eyes. The Alicorn had seen better days; her pink coat was scuffed and filthy, her mane and tail were matted, and her face was singed in places where the magic had pushed a little too strong. Even like this, after years of captivity and mistreatment, she had a certain beauty and gentleness about her.

"I will never give in to you, and neither will Equestria."

King Sombra inclined his head. "Why do you still fight me, Princess? The ponies you love so much have forgotten you. Celestia left you for dead. You could rule by my side as my Queen, and yet you remain pointlessly loyal to a land that abandoned you to this fate."

"You killed my husband, you monster."

"I bested him in single combat, and what was his should now rightfully be mine."

"That's disgusting," Cadence said calmly. "If you're counting on changing my mind with arguments like that, then we're going to be here a long time."

"No doubt. However, I'm afraid my patience has expired. There is somepony I'd like you to meet." King Sombra nodded at the hooded mare. "Begin."

A gnarled staff, forked at the end, emerged from beneath the mare's cloak. It twirled in the air once before firing a beam of sickly green light at the restrained Cadence. At first the Alicorn went stiff, her eyes wide, a look of confusion on her face. Then her Cutie Mark began to glow. The Mark stretched as if tugged at by an invisible hand, and Cadence began to whimper as she struggled against the unnatural and violating sensation. To no avail. With a wretched scream, the Cutie Mark was torn from her flank and sealed away in a waiting chest.

In its place a gray equals sign faded into existence.

"Wh-What have you done to me?" Cadence gasped.

King Sombra laughed and clapped his hooves with delight.

"So, magician, you are not all talk after all!" he said. "You can steal the Cutie Marks of Alicorns. And you say that you can persuade her to see the error of her ways as well?"

"My methods are tried and tested. Without her Cutie Mark, the Princess will be no different than any other pony we put through the equalization process. My followers will handle the rest. She'll be all yours within a week or two."

"No," Cadence whispered, staring down at her flank in horror.

Two more hooded ponies emerged from a dark corridor. They silently undid the straps that bound the Princess to the rack and began to drag her away. Cadence didn't have the strength to resist, and even as King Sombra watched, it looked like the light of hope was finally fading from her eyes. He grinned widely and turned to the hooded mare.

"Tell me, Starlight Glimmer. With power like that at your disposal, why should I trust you?"

Down came the hood, revealing a Unicorn with a pink coat and a purple mane with a cyan streak. Sombra approved of the burning hate he saw in her dark blue eyes. Her mane and tail were worn loosely, unkempt, a little frazzled. Here was a pony with more than a few screws loose.

"Because I want what you want," Starlight said coldly. "Harmony."

"Harmony?"

"I've seen firsthand what results from a society that embraces diversity and difference. Equestria is diseased to its core, its ideology a poison. Nopony stands out in your Crystal Empire. There are no arguments, no differences of opinion. You have created perfect unity. I find that beautiful."

King Sombra nodded, satisfied. "And are you certain that Princess Celestia will pose no greater challenge for you than Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?"

"All ponies are equal to my magic," Starlight sneered. "It will be my pleasure to strip the Cutie Mark off of Celestia herself. Without their precious, oh so special Princess to lead them, you'll be able to make quick work of the Equestrians. Then the whole world will be at harmony at last."

* * *

"Here you go, Twilight! The dragon cave was in the same place, but I had to wait until he left before I could steal these." Spike burped. "Oh, and I might've helped myself to one or two while I was in there."

Twilight inspected the sack of gems that her assistant had provided. "Thanks, Spike. These will do just fine. Now why don't you go take cover behind the tree line? This could get messy, and I'd feel better if you were out of the line of fire."

"Don't have to tell me twice!"

The dragon scampered off into the underbrush as Twilight began placing the gems at precise points along the runes etched into the ground. Starlight Glimmer had been putting the finishing touches on the runes themselves; seeing what Twilight was doing, she trotted over to watch.

"Looks like we're all set," Starlight observed. "Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Twilight sighed. "I'm not thrilled about using deception, but Nightmare Moon is just too dangerous for us to challenge head on. I've faced her before, and I've seen what she was like before she was banished to the moon. We'll only get one shot at this."

Starlight nodded. "We'll make it count. We have to."

"Then let's do it."

The two ponies closed their eyes and raised their heads in unison. Magical energy in pink and green began to crackle all around them, oscillating into two bands that connected their horns. In the center of the lightshow a sphere of darkness began to form, bleeding like black ink into the runes. The gems began to twinkle brightly before going dark one by one. Finally, Starlight Glimmer grunted and released her end of the spell.

"It's all up to you now, Princess!"

Twilight focused, grunting with exertion as a surge of magical flowed into her from her hooves all the way to the tip of her horn. Only an Alicorn could perform this next step. Twilight reached out to the heavens with her magic, and the heavens trembled in response. Like a curtain being drawn across the night sky, the lunar eclipse shrouded the moon until it was completely dark.

A familiar, chilling laughter filled the air. The ground shook beneath Twilight's hooves. An oppressive, dark magic electrified the air itself, like a cold hand squeezing her heart. Twilight gulped and bowed low, pressing her wings tight against her body, hoping that they would not be noticed.

In a burst of glittering dark mist, Nightmare Moon appeared in the center of the ritual runes. The banished sovereign was instantly alert, suspicious, looking around sharply for any threat. Finding none, her eyes came to rest upon the prostrate Twilight instead.

"You!" Nightmare Moon boomed. "Was it you who released me from my imprisonment?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I am Twilight Sparkle, and I have long admired you and your beautiful night. It has taken me years to figure out a way to free you. Now that I have, I would like to pledge my eternal loyalty to you, if only you grant me one small request!"

Nightmare Moon cackled. "You would bargain with royalty? I suppose you have earned a boon from me after ending my long exile. What is this trifle you wish for? Name it!"

Twilight's expression hardened as she spread her wings wide. "Your magic."

A look of utter shock and confusion crossed Nightmare Moon's face as she stared at Twilight's wings and horn. In that moment of distraction, a beam of green light burst from the tree line and struck Nightmare Moon from behind. The corrupted Alicorn screamed with rage and discomfort as the magic fought to pin her in place. Her crescent Cutie Mark began to bend.

"HOW DARE YOU? I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL FOR THIS TREACHERY!"

Nightmare Moon began to pulse with the dark patterns of her mane. Regaining her full range of motion, she bit down on the beam of light and yanked on it as if it was a physical cord. Starlight yelped as she was dragged into the clearing, still tethered by her spell.

"Twilight, do something!" Starlight yelled.

Twilight gathered her wits and fired a burst of her own magic at the raging Princess. The spell slammed into Nightmare Moon's head, causing her to release her jaws and howl in fury. Twilight kept up the assault, sending a barrage of destructive bolts at the corrupted Alicorn. The attacks didn't seem to do much more than sting Nightmare Moon, but it was enough to hold her attention. The Princess of the Night fired back, her rage coalescing into an uninterrupted beam of cyan energy streaked with purple lightning. Twilight ducked nimbly under the assault as trees crashed behind her and timberwolves howled as they fled.

" _ANOTHER_ ALICORN? WHAT HAS MY SISTER DONE IN MY ABSENCE? DOES SHE THINK TO _REPLACE_ ME? DOES SHE _DARE_? THERE IS ONLY ROOM FOR _ONE_ PRINCESS IN EQUESTRIA, AND THAT PRINCESS WILL BE _ME_!"

While Twilight frantically took to the air to escape the beam of death, Starlight Glimmer maintained her focus on her spell, her face contorted with effort, sweat dripping down her neck. Nightmare Moon didn't even notice her Cutie Mark as it slowly began to pull away from her body. Only when it was too late, in the moment before it snapped free, did Nightmare Moon realize what was being taken from her.

"WHAT IS THIS? NO!"

The gleaming white Cutie Mark hung suspended in the air like the moon itself. Starlight flung it towards Twilight with her magic before collapsing in exhaustion. Nightmare Moon howled in dismay as her voice began to change and her form began to shrink.

"Now, Twilight!" Starlight shouted. "Take it all!"

Silently apologizing to Princess Luna, Twilight called upon her memories of another time when the other Alicorns had freely entrusted their Cutie Marks and their magic to her. She bathed the Cutie Mark in pink light, causing it to dissolve into a large sphere of pure, black magic. The orb was faintly midnight blue around the edges. Bracing herself, Twilight began to draw the magic in through her horn, and for the second time in her life she felt the rush of incomprehensible power surging through her body.

But it was different this time.

Had Alicorn magic ever looked so dark before? It felt different too, unstable and somehow bitter. Twilight could feel it tugging at the corners of her mind already. This was the power that had turned Princess Luna into Nightmare Moon, she realized. What would it turn her into if she gave it the chance? A part of her, her naturally inquisitive nature, was curious.

"Twilight!"

"Princess, are you alright?"

Through all that magic, the voices of Spike and Starlight Glimmer still reached her. Her friends. They were worried about her. Twilight's eyes snapped open, and they were pure white with light. Her own Cutie Mark glowed brighter on her flank. No, she would not be the second coming of Nightmare Moon. She was the Princess of Friendship, and her magic would overcome any darkness.

Twilight felt herself return to the ground, her eyes dimming to normal, even if she didn't feel normal. Starlight stared at her in awe, while Spike looked delighted. Starlight quickly summoned a small mirror from their supplies so that Twilight could look at her reflection. The Princess let out a small gasp.

She had never really seen herself back during her battle with Tirek; there had been far too much going on, and she had been focused on keeping her power secret and hidden. With no need to hold back this time, her glittering mane flowed in wavy patterns like a star studded sky at dusk, tinged with all the purples and magentas of the fading sun. Twilight Sparkle realized she was carrying herself differently without even thinking about it, making her look a little taller and more assured.

"I think it's safe to say you look the part, Your Highness." Starlight bowed.

"This is the coolest thing _ever_!" Spike declared. "Um, you are still _you_ , right Twilight?"

"Yes, Spike." Twilight smiled reassuringly, then faltered. "Where's Luna? I hope we didn't hurt her."

Starlight gestured over to where a lilac Alicorn with a perfectly ordinary, faded blue mane lay unconscious on the ground. A familiar gray equals sign decorated her flank. The Princess of the Night looked a little emaciated somehow, probably from her long imprisonment and from being drained of her magic. Twilight felt a pang of guilt at seeing her like that.

"She's not Nightmare Moon anymore. That's something. I think I took that from her along with the rest of her power." Twilight looked over at Starlight. "Please tell me that she's going to be okay."

"I promise." Starlight nodded. "Her situation is a little unique, and you mentioned it took her some time to return to full power in our timeline. I can't tell when she'll recover enough to wake up again, but she will. Don't worry about that."

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright then. But we can't just leave her here."

"How about over there?"

Starlight nodded at a towering silhouette on the horizon.

"The Castle of the Two Sisters!" Twilight exclaimed. "That's perfect! She'll be safe in there, and she'll be in a familiar place when she wakes up! I'll return her powers to her then. Come on everypony, let's get moving. If we hurry I think we can reach the front lines in a few hours by air."

"Don't you think we should rest for a bit?" Starlight suggested. "You just went through a serious magical ordeal, and there's no telling—"

"I have no right to rest when nopony else in Equestria gets a break," Twilight insisted. "We all have to do our part. Besides, I'm feeling a bit peppy with all this new energy. And I know that Spike can't be tired because he was napping for most our time at Sweet Apple Acres."

"Got me there," Spike grumbled.

Starlight hesitated before nodding. "Your wish is my command, Your Highness. Lead on."


End file.
